Embodiments herein generally relate to a system and method for securing printed output, and more particularly, concerns a system and method for securing printed output to prevent unauthorized copying, counterfeiting, or modification of sensitive data.
Many commonly used forms are required to be printed in a tamper-proof way. These forms are typically pre-printed and include print devices such as water marks, bar codes, and backgrounds that cannot be copied. Typically, the dynamic form data is handwritten or typed onto these pre-printed forms, and the security mechanisms embedded in the forms cannot be used to represent dynamic data.
The embodiments herein comprise a system and method for producing secure output from a printing device, such as a multi-function device (MFD), which contains dynamic security elements that represent the variable data specific to a unique form. These forms include many such security elements: backgrounds that change when copied (such as the word “VOID” or “ILLEGAL COPY” appearing in large letters on copies); micro-text, font printed so small that it appears to be solid or dashed/dotted black lines on the output, but that can be read with the aid of a magnification, and when copied on standard copiers appears smudged and illegible even under magnification; etc. With embodiments herein, the security elements contain dynamic, variable data unique to each form that can be used to verify that the form itself has not been copied or altered in any way after printing.
In view of the foregoing, apparatus embodiments are presented herein. One apparatus embodiment herein comprises a notary processor apparatus that has an input/output device that receives a document template comprising data placeholders for being populated with dynamic data, a security map comprising details of security features for the document template, and dynamic data. In addition, a storage device is operatively connected to the input/output device and automatically stores the document template, the security map, and the dynamic data. When used herein the term automatic or automatically means that a system or method performs the action without requiring any further user input and occurs as the result of some action being completed or some state being achieved.
In addition, this exemplary embodiment includes a parser (that automatically parses the document template) and a resolver device (such as a comparator or other hardware logic device capable of checking and comparing items) both of which can be operatively connected to the storage device. The resolver is operatively connected to the storage device and automatically checks the availability of resources required by the document template and the security map.
Further, this apparatus includes a replacement device (which can comprise a processor or hardware logic circuit devices, such as transistors, permanently set fuses, etc.) that is operatively connected to the storage device and automatically replaces the data placeholders with the dynamic data. The replacement device automatically checks the dynamic data to determine if data exists for each of the data placeholders. If data exists for a placeholder, the replacement device automatically replaces the data placeholder with the dynamic data and replaces the security data placeholder with the dynamic data to produce a complete, printer-ready secure document. The security features comprise background images layered beneath the document template, micro-text, and/or other similar elements layered above the document template. However, if data does not exist for the data placeholders or the security data placeholders, the replacement device either automatically removes the placeholder or automatically replaces the placeholder with default information.
The input/output device automatically sends the document directly to a user-specified, authorized output printing device capable of handling the security features. The input/output device optionally can automatically perform raster image processing on the document and/or automatically encrypt the document.
The storage device automatically deletes the dynamic data and the document after the input/output device sends the document. Further, the input/output device automatically notifies the calling application (the application that send the print job to the notary processor) of the sending of the document to the output device.
In addition, method embodiments are presented herein. One such method embodiment receives the document template (that again comprises data placeholders for being populated with the dynamic data, receives the security map (comprising the details of security features for the document template) and receives the dynamic data.
One of the features of method embodiments is the use of the notary processor, which can be dedicated to only performing the security-based variable information printing. For example, the method parses the document template, resolves the availability of resources required by the document template and the security map, replaces the data placeholders with the dynamic data, replaces the security data placeholders with the dynamic data to produce the complete, printer-ready secure document, sends the document directly to a user-specified, authorized output printing device capable of handling the security features, deletes the dynamic data and the document, and can notify the calling application of the sending of the document to the output device, all automatically and all using the dedicated notary processor, mentioned above.
The process of replacing the data placeholders comprises automatically checking the dynamic data to determine if data exists for each of the data placeholders, again using the dedicated notary processor. If data exists for a placeholder, the method automatically replaces the placeholder with the data by using the dedicated notary processor. However, if data does not exist for the placeholder, the method can automatically, using the notary processor, remove the placeholder or automatically replace the placeholder with default information, using the dedicated notary processor. When sending the document to the output device, the method can also perform raster image processing the document and/or encrypt the document, again automatically and using the dedicated notary processor.
These and other features are described in, or are apparent from, the following detailed description.